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<title>but it's your arms that i need this time by wonderlandz</title>
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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27774610">but it's your arms that i need this time</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/wonderlandz/pseuds/wonderlandz'>wonderlandz</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Formula 1 RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Comfort, Cuddling, M/M, Nightmares, Platonic if you want it to be, Sharing a Bed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 23:47:37</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,044</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27774610</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/wonderlandz/pseuds/wonderlandz</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>max has a nightmare, daniel is there for him.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Daniel Ricciardo/Max Verstappen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>109</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>but it's your arms that i need this time</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>title is from ghostin by ariana grande :)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>they hadn't planned on sharing a bed. the room had two nice double beds for them to sleep separately on, and even though daniel isn't one to say no to cuddles, he knows max likes his space and hates being too warm at night.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>they say good night to each other with a small pat on the back, plug their phones in and close the lights early right after they're done with dinner, leaving the other to their own until the morning. daniel falls asleep to the steady breathing coming from max’s side of the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>that is though, until daniel is awakened in the middle of the night by max tapping his shoulder insistently, he immediately panics when he sees his eyes wide open and teary, giving him a scared and vulnerable look. he's staring blankly and straight ahead, without really looking at anything.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“max?” he asks, his hand reaching forward to grab max’s arm tightly. “are you okay? what happened?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>the long silence is extremely unnerving as he sits up, his hand shootingly running on max’s shoulder. daniel’s heart sinks when max seems to wince at the contact like he’s been hurt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>max sighs softly in defeat and tries to smile but can't without wincing again, he dodges daniel’s question and takes a deep breath before speaking, “can i sleep with you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>daniel nods at him without barely registering the question and scoots over so max gets the warm side of the bed, he gets in quickly and sighs in relief when daniel pulls the covers on top of him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“did you have a nightmare?” daniel insists, turning on his side to look at max, their faces close to each other, bodies not touching except for daniels grip still on his arm, rubbing small circles on his shirt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he nods weakly in response and he moves as close as possible without really touching daniel. enough so he can feel the sleepy heat emerging from his body. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>max is thankful for daniel’s presence beside him. thankful for the rise and fall of his chest, thankful for the hand rubbing his arm, and the heartbeat he would be able to feel and hear if he were to rest his head against it. daniel moves his hand up to run it through max’s hair, gentle and soothing, and max finally lets out the sob he had been holding on his chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he lets it all out then, face buried in daniel's pillow; but he really doesn't care. all he cares about is the person in front of him, breathing and living and running a hand through his hair, always here for him and supporting him. even on nights like this, when both of them will have to wake up early in the morning. but daniel still gives up sleep for max, who couldn't be more thankful.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>daniel nods, and remembering what his parents used to do for him when he had nightmares as a child, he decides to go with that same approach. so he wraps his arms around max’s shoulders, pulling him close to himself. he adjusts their position slightly so max’s head is resting on his shoulder, face tucked against his neck as he cries. it's a bit awkward, with max being taller than him, but he manages.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>daniel feels max tense up at the contact but doesn’t pull away. he’s also shivering, either from cold, or an aftermath of the nightmare, or something else. he keeps holding on to him, rubbing his arms slightly, and soon feels him grab onto his shirt with both hands, as if he’s afraid daniel will disappear if he lets go.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>it goes on for a while, until max starts calming down and the trembling and crying eventually slows down. max’s grip on him gets tighter by the moment though, to the point daniel is almost afraid he might even rip his shirt. but he isn’t sure if he should be saying something, so he just keeps holding max and rubbing his back, waiting for him to relax, and maybe go back to sleep because they do have a race to drive tomorrow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>max completely relaxes against him after a while, and the trembling stops completely. daniel can’t see his expression, since his face is still pressed against his neck, but he still has a death-grip on his shirt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>he tries to talk to him again, “feeling better?” daniel whispers, somehow feeling like talking at a normal volume would be too loud for the situation. max nods, but still doesn’t talk. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“do you want to talk about it?” this time the response is a few quick headshakes that clearly mean ‘no’. trying to force max to talk and let his guard down is probably not a good idea, so he leaves it alone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>and since max seems to be feeling better and ready to fall asleep again, daniel figures maybe he can let go of him and roll over so they can both sleep.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>but when he moves to do that, max’s grip on him tightens again, and he nearly curls into him to stop him from leaving, muttering his first words in a while, that sound vaguely like “don't go.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>he settles down again. "you want me to stay?” daniel has to confirm, not wanting to assume anything. especially when it comes to max. max hesitates for a few moments before nodding ever so slightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“alright. i'll stay.” he lays back down, pulling max down with him. it takes a bit of shuffling and flexible movement before they get into a kind of comfortable position. made more complicated by the fact that max refuses to let go of him the entire time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>the end result is daniel laying on his side, spooning max, who is clutching at his arms, trying to be as close to him as possible. daniel’s arms hurt, and he’s not sure he’s going to be able to sleep comfortably with max pulling at him like he is. but max’s breathing is finally back to normal and he seems relaxed enough that he doesn't really care if he gets any sleep at all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“don’t worry,” daniel tries to reassure him. “i'm not going to leave. just please don’t punch me in the morning.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
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